One of the key matchups in the Groundhog Day Super Bowl — Feb. 2 — will be whether or not the Denver Broncos defence can put the brakes on the running game of the Seattle Seahawks, specifically Marshawn Lynch.

Lynch has been an absolute beast in both playoff games this season and will be the Seahawks go-to guy in the Super Bowl.

Not only is a proficient running game a key component of Seattle’s balanced offence, but in pounding the ball on the ground the Seahawks will also be able to keep it out of the hands of Denver quarterback Peyton Manning.

The less time that Manning is on the field can only benefit Seattle’s cause.

During the regular season, few teams were able to contain Lynch and the Seattle running game. Overall they were fourth in the league in rushing.

Stopping the run, however, is the strength of the Denver defence as overall they were eighth against the run as opposed to 25th against the pass.

Part of that disparity is obvious as in most games, thanks to Manning’s passing heroics, the Broncos were able to build up quick leads and force teams to the air in an effort to keep up.

Still, the Broncos run defence held the opposition to 3.9 yards per carry and allowed just 16 rushing touchdowns.

During the season and in the playoffs, the Broncos allowed just one runner — San Diego’s Ryan Mathews — to top 100 yards and that came in the Chargers’ 27-20 victory on Dec. 12.

The Chargers attempted more of the same in their playoff rematch and that game plan went nowhere.

Overall, the Broncos were able to contain and limit the dame of some of the top running backs in the game and that list includes Philadelphia’s LeSean McCoy, Baltimore’s Ray Rice, Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew, Washington’s Alfred Morris and Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles — twice.

So it isn’t as if they have faced just a bunch of stiffs.

Below is a chart of how the Denver defence has fared this season in stopping the run on a game-by-game basis.

HE IS HEAVY, HE’S MY BROTHER

Rex Ryan, head coach of the New York Jets, is plenty baffled as to why, after so many head-coaching vacancies popped up in January, his twin brother Rob can’t even get an interview.

Rob Ryan has been thought of as being one of the better defensive coordinators in the game in his time with the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and now the New Orleans Saints.

His phone, however, hasn’t been ringing. Not once.

In an interview with the New York Post, Rex said it may be — as silly as it sounds — that teams aren’t enamored, are put off even, with Rob’s flowing long locks.

“You tell me one other reason why he doesn’t have a (head-coaching job) right now with the kind of job he did,” Rex said. “Maybe that’s it. I told him: ‘Dude, how about you go get a haircut? It makes no difference.’ I said, ‘You can wear the Fu Manchu if you’re bald.’

“I can’t explain it. Is it the hair? I don’t know. I’m trying to get him to get a haircut. Hopefully, this is one of the things that motivates him to do so.”

This season, Rob helped turn the Saints defence around from being one of the worst to fourth best as far as yards allowed.

“It was one of, in my opinion, the greatest coaching jobs in the history of the National Football League,” Rex said. “You go from 32nd in the league and they were closer to 33rd in the league than 31st, improve 130-something yards a game and 10 points a game. He doesn’t get an interview? They had more injuries than any team in the league. He had to make adjustments constantly based on personnel. I just thought it was one of the greatest coaching jobs.”

You tell them bro.

NO RESPECT

Speaking of head coaching vacancies, the Cleveland Browns still have one.

Nobody, it seems, wants the job.

The latest candidate to remove himself from consideration is Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase.

Gase would like to remain in Denver, get through the Super Bowl and keep working with Peyton Manning.

The Browns have moved on and are said to be interested in Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine.

The Browns fired Rob Chudzinski after one season and have already struck out on hiring New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, who signed on as the Tennessee Titans new head coach.

CHART

This season, the Denver Broncos defence allowed just one running back to run for 100-plus yards — San Diego’s Ryan Mathews, who rushed for 127 yards on 29 caries on Dec. 12. Following is a game-by-game look at the leading rusher vs. Denver this season and the game result: